From 'Ninja Wendi' to 'daft hysteria,' UK press turns a sharp pen on Murdoch and Co.

The Independent

Columnist Christina Patterson writes that although the entire scandal stems from nefarious behavior on the part of a major news organization, so does the uncovering of that behavior – and that the entire industry should not be taken down with Murdoch.

This drama, this drama which has shocked, and sickened, but also thrilled us, and which has gripped us more than any most of us can remember, wasn't written by a playwright. It was written, or at least it was uncovered, by an investigative journalist. …

If you still want newspapers that can uncover stories and scandals like this, or like the one about people trying to buy peerages, or the one about people paying other people to fix match results – stories that don't mean you just ask someone a question and assume that what they're saying is true – then what you need is some very skilled, very determined reporters and some very rich men.

They asked unfocused questions that invited the Murdochs to waffle and evade. Alan Keen and Therese Coffey were particularly unimpressive. And Louise Mensch did the public no favours by inviting the Murdochs to comment on the practices of the rest of the media, rather than focusing on the behaviour of News International. The Murdochs visibly relaxed as the hearing went on. Compared with US Congressional committee hearings, this was an amateurish show. …

Rupert Murdoch said that yesterday was the "most humble day of my life". In truth it was not. And the MPs of the select committee, with some honourable exceptions, did nothing to ensure that it would be. But the questions are not over. And Mr Murdoch's day of true humility might still be to come.

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